Of Rivers and Graveyards
by Siobhan Crane
Summary: Percy and Nico reunite ten years after defeating Gaia to share drinks and memories. Percico. Cover image by the wonderful Viria.
1. Drinks

"Ten years, man, and we never thought to catch up for drinks?" Percy laughed. His laugh was the first truly genuine laugh Nico had heard in years. Humans were profoundly sadder than he had expected them to be. Demigods seemed to have a more positive outlook on life, all things considered.

He eyed the other man wondering if Percy remembered what it was that drove Nico away in the first place. Surely he did. Jason had kept his word and said nothing, but the truth always comes out with demigods.

"Life happens," Nico explained shortly. "But we're having drinks now, aren't we?"

Percy nodded and held his mug up to clink glasses with the smirking son of Hades. Nico obliged.

"You heard about Leo and Calypso?" Percy commented off-handedly. "Sounds like they are having a pretty happy happily ever after."

Nico _had_ heard, but he so wanted to humor Percy.

"No, tell me about it," he lied smoothly. His green eyed drinking buddy grinned and leaned forward. He used to his hands as he animatedly explained about the adventures Leo had been through to find his peace and love with the Titan daughter. It seemed only fair that Calypso have that kind of happy ending, but almost cruel that after all Percy had sacrificed, he didn't end up with quite as happy of an ending.

"Yeah, it's crazy. I only wish Annabeth was around to hear about it."

Nico took a rehearsed sip at this moment. If Percy wanted to find someone to rehash Annabeth stories with, he could always seek out Thalia. Nico had no interest in pretending to mourn her death now. He had been sad at the time, but a part of him that he was sure had been buried away now felt triumphant in a way. It was petty, but sometimes, so was Nico. He was a son of Hades after all.

"You don't have to make that face," Percy told him seriously. His green eyes glittered almost teasingly.

Nico almost choked. Gods, those eyes.

Percy was going to _kill _him one of these days.

"I was making a face?"

"You know, I did think about it," Percy said, his voice deeper and almost…no, it was just Nico's imagination. Percy did _not_ sound flirtatious. "And I'll admit—at first it was really weird, but after a few years, you know, I kind of…gods, what am I saying?"

"You're drunk," Nico blurted out. He was blushing badly. Gods, Percy, don't bring _this_ up until you really are drunk, Nico thought anxiously. Was it sad that he knew exactly what Percy wasn't outright saying? Because he'd played out this conversation at least a million times in his head?

"Naw," Percy assured him, "I just—you probably have a boyfriend or partner or something. This has got to be really weird."

Nico's jaw twitched. This was not happening.

"You've got no idea," Nico muttered under his breath. "But no, I don't have anyone. Typical son of Hades, that's me."

"I mean, I know it was just a lousy crush _ten years ago_, but I think I wouldn't have been to opposed to it," he said almost conversationally, the asshole. Percy could do that. He could look at you with bedroom eyes but manage to talk about the freaking weather. Or he could act natural and bring up something really intimate.

Either way the son of Hades could feel his heartbeat in his throat. In the dim bar lighting, Percy Jackson's eyes were still the greenest eyes he'd ever seen. And he wouldn't even allow himself to notice the way a small lock of Percy's hair was falling in his eyes. Then he'd have to think about _moving_ it and. Oi.

"You had Annabeth," he reasoned, trying with all his might to sound calm.

Percy looked thoughtfully into his now empty mug and shrugged.

"Yeah. But I mean, I wouldn't have been like _ew gross_. I just would have entertained the idea if you had, I guess, pursued me."

Jesus. Was the room on fire and spinning rapidly? Nico thought, panicking just a little. He had planned on this conversation happening…preferably under different circumstance, but more importantly, not tonight. It couldn't have mattered whether or not Percy would have _considered_ it because he didn't. And Nico wasn't ready for him to back then anyways.

Now? Now was a lot different. That's what was driving the skinny, younger man insane. He would take Percy home with him that very instant if the older man desired it.

"I thought you probably hated me over these years," Percy admitted sounding unexpectedly small. His eyes held half of the fire that it had only moments ago. And he wasn't looking away anymore. The intensity was palpable.

Nico almost swallowed his tongue before answering.

"Why on earth would I have hated you?"

Shit. He sounded hoarse. Like he was dying or something. Or just very, very turned on and slightly freaking out. Probably more the former. Shit shit shit.

"'Cause I wasn't with you," Percy reasoned. "If I was in your position, I would hate me. I was shit to you."

The tension broke some when Percy laughed. "Why the hell did you ever even like me?" he asked in between his giggles.

Nico's heart inflated a bit. Percy's laugh could possibly cure cancer, he decided.

"You were the cute, older guy who had all the answers," Nico said honestly, eyes still holding Percy's.

Percy chewed on this for a bit, but it apparently wasn't enough to end the conversation.

"You thought I was cute?" he inquired, the spark coming back to his eyes.

Nico took in a long breath. "Oh boy. You sure you're not drunk, Percy?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Relax, Nico. I'm just curious about this stuff. I haven't ever got the chance to ask you about any of it for ten years. Humor me."

"Of course I thought you were cute. Everyone thought so."

Percy's eyes lit up with happiness. "Really? Everyone?—like, who?"

He couldn't help it. Nico laughed. Seeing Percy hopeful and puppy-like was freaking adorable. He instantly felt like a teenager again, although it was different because here he was in a bar discussing how hot Percy was. Out loud.

"Anyone with eyes," Nico said softly. Percy smiled.

"Well, you had the whole bad boy image going on. Annabeth and I used to wager how many girls would be all over you by the time you were fifteen."

Nico was momentarily stunned, trying to comprehend that Percy had thought of him at all in a manner of appearance. Gods, Nico was going to need a cold shower after this.

"Yes, well, you must have lost a lot of money with that bet," Nico joked. He was being bashful, mostly, because he was definitely approached by women. He just had no interest in any of them.

Nico was smiling. A real, and very rare, smile that made his eyes squint and dimples show.

Realizing how close they were to each other, Percy backed off and coughed.

"It's getting late," he said lamely. "I've got some kids to train tomorrow."

Nico, deflated, leaned back and waved a waitress to summon another beer.

"Yes, I suppose you do," he said dryly, his voice back to being cold and unwelcome. "It was nice to see you."

Percy, without another word, got up and left.

It would take a lot of alcohol to try and erase the mistake it was to come out tonight, Nico thought.

But something in the air made him shiver. This would not be the last he'd see of Percy Jackson.


	2. Dinner

PheonixFire316 : I'm happy you enjoyed it. I'll gladly continue as long as you're interested.

Thanks for the favorite and such.

* * *

It's about a month until Nico di Angelo hears from his favorite son of Poseidon again. He'd spent the month distracting himself constantly to keep from thinking of the disastrous night where certain truths came out but nothing good came of them.

Of course Percy Jackson wasn't hitting on him. What on earth could he have expected to happen from meeting up in a bar after ten years of silence? Other than catching up there was nothing more he could hope for. Just because Percy spent a portion (a very brief portion) of those years pondering on the possibility of his sexuality doesn't mean much of anything. And who said he was even pondering his sexuality so much as just the idea of Nico…? But still…

Jackson was bound to mature lots with that much time. And mature people can rationally think about past friends and _what if's_ without having to place significant meaning to the thoughts.

They actually met on accident this time, though. Nico wondered if Aphrodite wasn't having herself a grand ol' time scheming it. But, really, two half-bloods in NYC were pretty likely to find themselves in similar places eventually. They did have an age-old habit of sticking together, demigods did.

Although he noticed Percy first, there was no way he would actualize their accidental reunion. Instead, the lanky son of Hades shrunk away into the crowd while hugging his boxed leftovers to his chest, but that would have been far too easy.

"Nico? That you, buddy?" came the ever familiar and enthusiastic voice he'd been dreaming of on and off again for the past fifteen years or so.

Nico only stopped and turned around because it was sort of impossible for him not to. He'd lost all his practice of resisting the other demigod's charm.

"Percy," he greeted, faintly aware of the blush creeping onto his gaunt cheeks.

For what it was worth, Percy looked like shit. Or, well, as much as an attractive twenty-something demigod _can_ look like shit in a non-apocalyptic sort of way. He had bags under his usually bright, but now dim green eyes and hair that stuck up in weird places like he'd not washed it for a few days. This did not, however, stop Nico from drinking him in. It seemed that even after all these years, the son of Poseidon still could affect the smaller demigod without even trying.

It was maddening.

"Hey," Percy practically whispered. "I'm really sorry about that night in the bar…I don't know what came over me."

Nico forced a very thin and unconvincing smile. _Latent homosexual tension perhaps?_ he thought, feeling himself smirk a bit. Percy gave an apologetic smile back and glanced at the plastic bag in Nico's hand.

"You already ate? Damn. I was gonna see if I could buy you dinner as a proper apology."

Oh, thought Nico. That sounds dangerously close to date like conditions. In fact, Nico's first and only reaction was to assume that Percy was trying to dupe him in some way. His eyes darkened and he took a cautious step back, unintentionally shrouding himself in shadows.

"I don't want your pity, Jackson," he spat bitterly. And he almost immediately regretted his overreaction just from the look of confusion and hurt that flashed across the older man's face.

Trying to mend the situation, Nico slumped his shoulders and took a meek step back towards Percy and offered a pathetic face. He couldn't deny Percy, really. Even if it terrified him to place his trust in anyone other than himself.

"I'm sorry, Nico," Percy told him, genuine and sincere. His eyes were glistening as if this were something he lost sleep over, something he'd been hashing out in his mind on repeat because it was so important to him. "I guess I'm the same foot-in-mouth asshole I've always been, but I want to make it up to you, _really_. Rachel's been telling me that us demigods? We're all we've got, you know, each other, and—"

Nico sort of stopped listening after that. He felt a lot of things about this whole situation, mostly curious, but definitely cautious. Percy was a noble guy. Sure he would feel bad about abruptly abandoning the ominous son of Hades in a bar when things got a little too gay. Nico was above lying to himself anymore, so he was fully capable of admitting just how awkward things had become that night, but nothing further than that.

But he was also able to acknowledge it was not his fault. Not entirely anyway.

So he indulged and gave Percy a slightly genuine smile. He was still babbling on about demigods and destiny and shit. Nico could almost pretend they were flying around on Argo II or lost in the Labyrinth back when they were relevant heroes.

"Would it be stupid if I asked to buy you a drink?" Percy asked, his eyes flitting around nervously. Nico knew not to mistake this as romantic jitters, but more as Percy's way of asking for forgiveness.

"You really need to unwind more often, Jackson," he replied with a smirk. Percy finally met the younger man's eyes and full on grinned back at him.

"Yeah, I know."

Several drinks later, the two of them were jovial as ever, laughing freely. Something unsaid had fixed whatever boundaries had been crossed before. And Percy was wise enough this time to not bring up the topic that was more taboo than ever because of the destruction it had so easily created. No, they could do this without having to talk about Nico's old crush on Percy's annoying, know-it-all, fourteen-year-old counterpart.

Or his current crush on the annoying, know-it-all, almost-thirty-year-old man before him.

The night ended on a high note, the half-bloods still laughing and a little drunk, clasping each other in a platonic and almost pathetic hug. But promises to meet up the next weekend were made.

And so the pattern continued for several weeks, not just limited to bar appearances, but seeing each other at camp. Drinking alcohol from their magic goblets like mischievous teenagers while smirking at each other as if in on some grand secret.

They did go to dinner eventually, too. It was mostly uneventful evenings sprinkled with casual conversation and small talk, but the third time they went out for dinner, it was…well, different.

Percy asked for a table for a two. Nico followed him as Percy rehashed his latest monster encounter a few days prior and how Mrs. O'Leary intervened and got hellhound slobber on a bunch of unsuspecting victims riding the subway at three in the morning. The maître d' led them, unintentionally, to a secluded corner of the restaurant, and left them with menus as Percy continued his story.

Nico could listen to Percy's heroic antics forever, possibly. There was something very intriguing about hearing someone speak of themselves in a self-deprecating way that made them humble, but still with moments of pride to inflate their sense of importance. It was almost impossible to tell stories like Percy did. Not that Nico had ever tried. No, his stories were never quite as entertaining to tell as Percy's.

Which was when Percy asked a pretty innocent question.

"When's the last time you saw your dad?" he asked, eyes too busy scanning the menu hungrily to see Nico's go wide. They were treading on dangerous waters, but really, it wasn't like they had agreed to never speak of Nico's being gay ever again. But, gods, Nico was scared that Percy was only here because of some unspoken agreement that Nico's sexuality would never be brought up.

He was much too deeply invested in the goofy son of Poseidon to let it all fall to pieces now.

So, trying to mask his discomfort, he picked up a menu as well.

"Ah, that was probably when I ran back to the Underworld after a particularly bad breakup," he offered. If Percy wasn't such a seaweed brain, he might have noticed the slightest sound of begging in Nico's voice. _Please don't ask about the breakup. Please just change topics._

However, Percy is as clueless as they come, so his eyes glanced up to watch Nico as he asked, "Bad breakup, huh?"

Well, Nico thought, here goes. It's not like Percy wasn't aware that Nico was gay. He knew. Did he? Or did he think it was just him? No, he'd asked if Nico had a boyfriend of _partner_ before. He knew.

"Yeah it was practically a year ago," said the younger demigod, eyes trained on the dinner specials.

Percy bit his lip for a moment, considering this.

"So why haven't you talked to your dad since then?" he pondered, vague curiosity replaced with explicit interest.

Nico, trying not to freak out, opened and closed his menu a few times before Percy yanked it from him. Sea eyes met deep pools of black. The mini-staring contest ended when a waitress asked what the boys wanted to drink.

Percy ordered a bunch of food (of course), but Nico was hoping to use his menu as a shield again couldn't decide yet. He snatched the menu back from Percy and buried himself in the appetizers as if he were truly interested. The waitress left and Percy found himself staring at a big fat menu instead of his sunken eyed, dimpled friend.

"Stop being a baby, Nico," he said seriously. "I'm not gonna run out the door if you tell me about a past boyfriend. Or a current boyfriend. I freaked once, but I'm not going anywhere, OK?"

Nico peeked from above his menu briefly before scoffing obnoxiously.

"Yes, I'm the one who has a tendency to overreact about this," he muttered dryly. Percy heard it, but gave a sarcastic look instead of getting truly annoyed.

"You're hardly the same kid who was obsessed with Mythomagic. Can't you believe—trust that I'm hardly the same person as I was years ago, or even months ago?"

Nico kept himself hidden behind the menu for a few moments longer, then slapped it down onto the table between them.

"Well, the guy I was dating was mostly dating me to get to his recently deceased lover. My dad was pretty upset when he found this out, assuming I was jeopardizing the whole Underworld security and whatnot. So we've been on pretty awkward terms. You?"

All that and Nico barely stopped for a breath. Percy gaped at him, partially amazed that he shared so much so readily, but also surprised about the content of what was said.

"I, uh, haven't dated any guys who wanted to—"

"Shut up, Jackson," Nico teased with a playful glint in his otherwise unimpressed, dark eyes. "I meant with your dad. You talk to him recently?"

Percy, almost unwilling to change subjects, reluctantly talks about his last visit to his dad's place a couple months ago. Something about his stepmother wanting to turn him into flash fried kelp made him smirk, but he otherwise didn't seem too committed to this story. Which was definitely unusual for Percy.

The waitress passed by and Nico ordered something. Percy fiddled with his napkin, but didn't bring up whatever it was that bugged him enough to make him push his food around more than eat it.

Dinner was finished and Nico laid several bills on the table and stood up to stretch which revealed a large patch of his flat, moderately toned abdomen. He was positive Percy noticed this, but not certain whether it could be considered being checked out seeing as it was Percy.

"Can I ask probably the stupidest question ever?" Percy wondered aloud. Nico felt his heart seize a bit in fear. Stupid questions could also be detrimental questions. Dangling his arms behind his head while he finished his stretch, he watched Percy gulp and avert his eyes almost begrudgingly.

Huh.

"Go ahead, Aquaman," he breathed. But Percy was rendered silent.

Nico, sensing his old friend had lost all bravado deciding to give the only answers he could assume were being sought. Slipping on his aviator jacket, he gave Percy an expression that read only of sadness and impatience.

"Let me guess. How on earth did I end up gay? What do the gods think of it?"

But Percy only gave a small shake of the head.

"I wanted to know what it's like, actually," he said no louder than a whisper. This was obviously more difficult for Percy to say than Nico to answer, but only marginally so. Nico went stiff momentarily before leading Percy out of the restaurant, preferring the cool night air to calm him down.

"Oh," he said when they were walking side-by-side in no general direction. "You mean sex?"

Percy choked—on what Nico couldn't figure out—and ended up hunched over coughing.

"_Gods_, Nico," he breathed heavily. "I just meant in general. Dating men, liking men."

Nico, glad for the upper hand felt confident enough to walk backwards in front of the handsome and flustered demigod with dazzling eyes and superman hair. His smile was predatory and…proud even. He knew more than Percy Jackson about something. Granted, it wasn't really anything profound, but still.

"I have nothing to compare it to," Nico teased. "But I would assume it's similar to being with a woman on the surface. Certainly not in terms of sex, though."

Percy was openly blushing now. And fiddling with his right ear like it was irritating him.

It was positively adorable.

Perhaps it was the empowerment of having the upper hand in the situation, but Nico felt absolutely devious and dared to flash Percy his bedroom eyes.

The nervous son of Poseidon, red as a rose, rolled his eyes and gave Nico a hard shove in the chest. The men laughed, lightly, but the air around them was noticeably charged.

"You seem pretty smug, _Ghost King_," teased Percy.

"Of course I am. You look like a dainty schoolgirl right now."

Percy lunged at him with a jokingly murderous glare, but Nico was too fast and left Percy to stumble into empty air where he'd once been. Percy, grinning madly now reached out and successfully smacked Nico upside the head.

"Schoolgirl!" he exclaimed, obviously bothered by the name. "You're such a brat, you know that?"

Nico flicked his tongue out. "You're just jealous that I get more tail than you do."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Is that what you think? Dude, I am Percy Jackson. Saved the world more times that I can care to count."

"Twice," Nico amended. "And you weren't even the most important person in either instance."

"But you can't argue with the fact that I am Percy Jackson," Percy quipped, laughing.

Nico scowled half-heartedly. "You're such an egomaniac," he spat.

Percy just smiled. "See? You know it's true. I'm _charming_."

Deciding this was a good a time as any to cut the night short, Nico leaned forward to give a brief hug to his longtime friend only to find the older demigod stiff in his arms.

"I'm heading home," Nico laughed quietly. "Not trying to spread my gay cooties all over you."

But when he pulled away to observe Percy's face, test the waters to see if an apology was needed, he was met with dilated pupils and heavy lidded eyes.

"Percy, what—"

Which was when Percy leaned forward and kissed the son of Hades.


	3. Kissing

_AN: I know this is short, but I kind of realized I didn't really know where I wanted to go with this fic. I have way too many ideas for me to settle on just one at a time, so if you're interested, go ahead and give me a prompt. Thank you for the three lovely reviews. I was not expecting any. I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The two demigods were sinking in a sea of Percy's rushed apologies. He kept saying it, like a chant. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

The kiss ended as soon as it began with Percy flushed and apologetic as if it had somehow been an accident. Nico, though, could only stand there looking dumbfounded.

Percy had done a lot of really, _really_ stupid things, but kissing one of his best friends was typically not something he was brave enough to do. Annabeth was the courageous one back when she was alive and they dated. She initiated most kisses and touches, but this was different on so many levels.

Nico being male was only one of them.

Nico's lips were surprisingly soft and smooth—and unexpectedly warm. And slightly prickly, which was new.

Percy, hoping to rewind a bit, kept apologizing, hands on Nico's shoulders, shaking him a little. _Gods_, why did he do that? You don't just kiss your gay friend.

Sure, Nico was a good-looking guy, and sure Percy had always wondered about the long lost crush the younger man had for him. He wondered about it a lot more often than he was comfortable admitting, but he had always kept a secret place in his mind for Nico.

Nico, who had cold hands to match his cold gaze. Nico, whose smiles were like blue diamonds—rare, but so magnificent you would do anything to find another. Nico, the boy he'd been a terrible friend to, the boy who betrayed him (not for unthinkable reasons, though), the boy who admired him even if he was not worthy of admiration.

Honestly, Percy had never noticed Nico that way. Annabeth was bright and blinding when she was with him. On still, quiet days Percy would admit that he was never in love with Annabeth, but she was the first and only thing he knew to describe love by. After defeating Gaia he would spend inordinate amounts of time pondering on their 'love' and how it affected him.

But somehow, here he was_ noticing_ the rugged son of Hades. Eyes deep and desolate with tremendous emotion flickering in them. Nico was no longer the small, scrawny boy he'd once towered over. No, this was a thin, lanky man, but a man nonetheless. And the undercut? Percy wasn't sure how or why, but gods it was sexy. As was the soft growth of stubble upon the death demigod's chin.

Finally, as if coming out of a trance, Nico blinked several times then shoved himself away from Percy.

"What just happened," he gasped. Quickly, he began to wipe his mouth on the corner of his sleeve as if to cleanse himself of the apologies. Percy felt his heart sink deep into his stomach.

Incapable of finding an answer, the older man hung his head in shame. Nico's nostrils were flared, anger rolling off his entire body. He wasn't just some random experimental pair of lips to test how gay you were. He had fought beside Percy, depended on Percy.

"Nico," Percy tried, voice shaky. "I—"

"You're _sorry_? Nico spat. Is he over me? Percy wondered. Fuck, of course he is. Why on earth would a handsome man like Nico pine over someone as…broken as Percy. For _ten years_.

"I shouldn't have kissed you," Percy murmured. He'd not expected to feel so heartbroken, but then again, he'd also not expected to kiss the son of Hades.

For a few moments, they simply sized each other up. Well, Nico sized Percy up, and Percy stood dejectedly, eyes pleading for understanding and forgiveness.

"I've—shit, I've always thought about doing it, OK?" Percy admitted. The half-blood's face was surely Ares' red, but he knew he owed Nico honesty. Nico more than anyone, really.

If Nico was affected by these words, he showed no signs. The younger man gruffly ran a hand through his hair. Percy wanted him to say something, _anything_. No matter how adult he was, he would never be good at confrontation. Or romance, so it seemed.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," he managed to grumble. Nico met his eyes, briefly, then blew air out through his nose.

"Percy—"

"No, seriously, man. Let me…" Percy was fumbling, hands busying themselves with a string on his shirt. "I haven't seen you for ten years, and in those years all I was left with was this, like, knowledge that you liked me. And yeah, at first? It freaked me out."

Nico's eyes softened almost imperceptibly. He stepped forward and opened his mouth, but Percy held his hands up.

"Let me finish. All I had was _Nico had a crush on you_, and that's a lot for a guy to take in. But that's all I had, so I thought about _that_. Not about Bianca or shadow traveling or fighting with you—_that_. So when I finally see you, all my…curiosity? Is that the right thing to say? Well, yeah. It came real."

Percy waited, wondering if the younger demigod's silence was good or bad, but the look on Nico's face was much too unreadable. Years of practice, he supposed.

"So I kissed you," he concluded in a small voice. "And it was wrong because I had no right to."

Nico, still expressionless, nodded and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Something about the gesture reminded Percy of small, hopeless Nico. Nico who had lost his only family when Percy had promised him her protection.

"Well," huffed the son of Hades, "that was a lousy kiss if you've been building it up for ten years."

Percy's heart fluttered back to life.

"It wasn't," he assured the younger man, a broad smile stretching on his face.

Nico responded with a small, encouraging, _forgiving_ smile. Just barely playing on his lips.

"It was for me," Nico teased. And he was teasing. Percy could tell by the lilt in his voice and the way his lips were ever so slightly smirking. You wouldn't be able to tell unless you were looking, unless you knew Nico di Angelo.

"Oh yeah? What were you expecting?" Percy teased back, taking an advantageous step forward. "'Cause I wasn't exactly going for best kiss of the year award or anything."

"Good," Nico laughed. "You weren't even a nominee."

Percy, shuffled his feet a bit before glancing up to the other demigod with a hopeful, questioning look. "It felt how I expected it to feel," he whispered.

Nico made a cute, confused face as Percy chuckled.

"Like rivers. Or the ocean. It feels like home, but also like touching the sun…you know? On the edge of something huge and powerful…"

The son of Hades took the bait. "Oh, I'll show you something huge and powerful, Percy Jackson."

And this time, he didn't let Percy steal the upper hand.

This time he leaned forward while Percy laughed, and grabbed the taller man's face. But he didn't rush. He waited to watch Percy's eyes come to life in the anticipation of the moment. He brushed his thumb along the older man's jaw, impressed that he really did shave every day. It was so responsible; he had to smirk to himself at the notion. Percy Jackson—responsible! And when Percy started to lean forward, mouth slightly fallen open, Nico plunged headfirst into the kiss.

Heavy breathes mixed, and Percy almost immediately began tracing Nico's bottom lip with his tongue. Nico obliged just as quickly.

Huh, thought Nico. Kissing Percy _did_ kind of have the warm, _home_ feeling. However, for him it was graveyards. How romantic. Graveyards!

But something in the kiss told Nico that this wasn't just an experiment—no man who was 'experimenting' had ever kissed him like this.

Which was fine because he'd never wanted to be kissed like this by anyone else.


End file.
